BRKLYN

BRKLYN

The vowels might be missing, but it’s plain which New York borough inspired Rashaad Chenia’s bar. Walk past the faux-subway foyer (complete with white-tiled walls and bench) and you’ll find yourself in a miniaturised version of Brooklyn.

The upstairs space was once the site of online streaming service Soundpond. The music studio now makes up one of three shop fronts in BRKLYN’s interior streetscape. It’s next to a functioning barbershop and New York-style deli that serves as the bar’s kitchen.

The largest shop front sits under a neon sign that says “LIQUOR” and leads patrons into BRKLYN’s more mellow half – an intimate, low-lit bar that looks out over Rundle Street.

The bar menu is a made up of pickled mushrooms, oysters, croquettes, lobster rolls, cold cuts (including wild boar) and an ice-cream sandwich. The specialty is pastrami on rye, given an extra kick by housemade pickles, which provide the perfect motivation for a second drink.

That drink could come in the form of the small selection of South Australian wines, or perhaps the five beers on tap, including Brooklyn Lager. The cocktails list includes a New York Sour, Watermelon Collins, Pistols at Dawn (chipotle-infused tequila, lime, cucumber, capsicum, parsley and sugar) and a Cold Drip Negroni.